Zutara Week 08
by shinyuy
Summary: Zutara Week 2008 condensed into one story with chapters, save Prompt 5- Mythology which will remain on its own. Prompts here include Denim, Electrifying, Smug, Manipulation, Pinch and Stare. Rated T as the last chapter contains mature themes.
1. Chapter 1 Denim

Zutara Week

By (Captain Procrastination) Lil Black Bird

1 – Denim

He wasn't sure how he had gotten dragged to the Mall of all places. He hated the music, the crowds, the crying children and busy-body clerks. He disliked the food but it was slightly above par from cafeteria food and he loathed trying on clothing.

"Here try these." More clothing was dumped over the top of the changing room door. Zuko barely dodged the stack of jeans flying for his head. "And you'd better come out this time!"

"Katara…" he warned, his voice dropping low in annoyance.

"Come out or I'll send Toph in to 'inspect'" she warned and he knew she meant it. He could hear the blind girl laugh and say something crude, imagined the 'grabby hands' she was making before Aang stopped her.

"Fine." He snorted and started to change again. Katara's father was dragging the entire gang out on a weekend trip to the shore and the cabin they owned out there and Katara was insistent on getting them all outfitted for the colder nights. Zuko just could not understand why he needed more clothing. He had jeans for Agni's sakes.

"Hurry up Sparky!" Toph called out. The girls had already done their half of the shopping the day before (the guys had managed to slip away) but now it was their turn and so far Zuko was the brunt of every joke and sour situation (like usual.)

Zuko grabbed the first pair he laid his eyes on, dark blue with a few lines of lighter denim. It had a few pockets and a button fly (he found them annoying) and in his opinion looked too small. Shedding the pair of trousers, he had on he put them on and went to look for a shirt when he stopped all together…

"_Payback" _he thought as he ran his hands through his hair and opened the door, his shirt on the bench with his pants.

Katara was having way too much fun with Suki and Toph torturing poor Zuko. Aang and Sokka were easy to outfit and for the most part managed to avoid needing help from the girls. Katara seemed to have fun dressing Zuko up and teasing him. He really was too easy sometimes. Suki had pointed out that more often than not when someone picked on Zuko as much as she did that maybe she liked him.

"_That's ridiculous._" she thought but thoughts soon flew from her mind like turtle-ducks from a pond when the changing room door opened and Zuko stepped out.

"Well." He stated, his voice in that deep tone it only dropped into occasionally. It had a bored tone to it but Katara wasn't paying attention.

The jeans sat low on his hips, the edge of the bones visible above the belt line, along with the upper edge of his underwear. They clung to his legs but not enough to be uncomfortable, tapering down to the knee before flaring back out only slightly. They were just long enough to cover the tops of his bare feet; she couldn't stop staring at his flexing toes for a minute, otherwise she'd be focusing on that little trial of dark hair she spotted peaking just above the buttons to his fly…

"Hummm turn around." Suki said, raising her hand in the universal 'turn around' motion. With a sigh he did just that, the muscles in his belly and back moving beneath his pale skin. The back looked 'delicious'… that was the first word that bubbled to the surface of Katara's mind. While the front remained loose enough and comfortable looking the back hugged places _just _right. She never noticed with all the baggy pants he wore just how nice of an ass he had.

"Well do these pass Katara?" She shook her head and looked at him. He was peering over his shoulder on his good side, his amber eyes seeking her out and her alone through tousled hair. Toph was saying something and getting up, Suki was giggling and Aang was trying to keep Zuko from being molested by _his _girlfriend.

Katara could only nod.

"Ok then I'll try the others." He smirked a bit and went back into the room and she swore he was _strutting_

fin


	2. Chapter 2 Electrifying

Zutara Week 2

By Lil Black Bird

aka Shin Yuy

2 – Electrifying

They hadn't had much of a choice but to fly into the storm. With Azula's air ships hot on their tail and only the wall of the storm to protect them above the sea they chose the lesser of two evils. The air ships hadn't held up to the winds well, nor had the fire benders been able to launch much of an attack when their element fizzled out in the storm.

Nothing stopped Azula though from firing off a parting shot of lightning.

Katara still remembered it like it just happened. Zuko had jumped to the back of the saddle as they banked to try to avoid it, his foot hooked in the hole along the rim. One hand reached out and snapped up the lightning, the tail going for his two outstretched fingers and coiling down his arm. His hair stood on end as the bolt moved through him; across, down up and back out just as Iroh had shown him. She knew she shouted at him, a few of the others were too as the bolt was pushed upwards towards the sky harmlessly…

The bolt he had deflected seemed to call the natural lighting to it, the moment it was to leave his fingers and snap into the sky a loud crack shook the saddle and a bolt of violet death reached down from the clouds and struck. The flash was blinding and Appa pitched dangerously before descending too fast. There were screams and Katara looked back to see if Zuko was still there. She spotted nothing of the firebender but the charred spot his boot had been hooked into the saddle. She remembered screaming before something fell into the center of the saddle on top of Sokka, still smoldering.

That had been hours ago.

They had found a small safe harbor, a shard of a dead volcanic island that had blown itself to bits. The cave was massive enough for Appa to be all right, and the walls weren't seeping water. They had broke to make camp, a large fire burning in the pit Toph had made and Aang had lit warmed the damp air. Suki was cooking, Haru was keeping the younger ones distracted with his earthbending and helping Suki. Sokka and Hakoda had gone off to find 'food critters' and were only now coming back with crabs from the beach, a bag full of clams and what looked to be a squid-shark.

Katara sat over Zuko, who lay bundled in Sokka's sleeping bag as well as his own blankets. His breathing was shallow, his skin bright red in places in what amounted to only be a bad sunburn. It reminded her of the river deltas she had seen from the air during their travels. They had used water from the cave and rain water from outside to help her heal him. Aang was distraught but Sokka reminded him just how stubborn Zuko could be.

"A little thing like lightning isn't going to stop him for long."

Katara pressed her fingers to his pulse, unhappy with how weak it was but happy none the less that it was there. The only other person she had pulled from near the grave was Aang and it had taken nearly all of her Spirit Water to do so. For once she was greatful for her bloodbending skills, and the full smiling face of Yue outside on the calm sea. Zuko's pulse jumped under her fingers and she brought her mind immediately back to the task at hand. Water formed around her hands and went to hover over his chest, above his heart. It's light pulsed gently as she bent, a slow steady beat as she worked to stabilize his troubled heart.

It had stopped twice already… and each time she had dragged him back. The first time they were still in the air, the smell of burnt hair and skin and silk stank down wind of the prince as they flew. Sokka had turned an interesting shade of ash when he first thought it was a corpse on top of him. The second time they had gotten in to the cave and Zuko onto the ground so Katara could really focus on her work. The rock was slippery and Hakoda had nearly dropped Zuko before Aang bent most of it away. The jolt of the jump though had elected a groan and then the familiar spasms of a dieing heart from the boy in the Chief's arms.

The waterbender calmed herself, determined not to let the beat stop a third time. It had nearly taken everything she had to get it started from nothing and she wasn't sure she could do it again. The glow began to pulse along with the beat of her own heart, gently teaching it's thrum to the boy before her. She wasn't sure how long it took but eventually… things settled. The pulse beneath her hands began to pick up it's own strength, his breathing began to even out and his features smoothed from their grimace to the peaceful expression of a healing sleep. Katara sighed and put the water back into her pouches, running a hand over her brow. The smell of food was thick in the air but she didn't feel like eating yet.

Her fingers, still damp, ran through Zuko's hair, smoothing it back. His head tilted, a soft sigh escaped bruised lips, as he leaned into the touch.

Her heart skipped a beat…and somewhere near the fire Toph smiled.

fin


	3. Chapter 3 Smug

Zutara Week 03

By Lil Black Bird

aka Shin Yuy

3 – Smug

"Come on Snoozels pay up"

"I still can't believe…"

"Yeah kinda weird isn't it… now pay up."

"But she's my baby sister and I'm supposed to keep jerks like him away from her."

"You forget the fact she knows how to stop hearts from a distance and whipped the hell out of him for months?"

"Well no…"

"Or that he's changed and is like a brother to you now… not to mention he asked you and your dad permission to even mention to her he liked her?"

"No…"

"And that you GAVE it to him!"

"…"

"Not to mention that Aang needed to put her aside so he can do the whole save the world thing. Not to mention he has ME now so he doesn't have to be so distracted by Sweetness. Actually maybe I should go distract him now…"

"Damn it Toph I remember but it's still… weird."

"And steamy too…who knew that within the first week they'd be doing so much together"

"Shouldn't let them do laundry together…or cook…or get fire wood… or"

"Yeah yeah…It won't get done but you're forgetting one important thing…"

"Yeah what?"

"I won now pay up!"

"Fine fine you win… but you don't have to look so damn smug about it!"

Foot steps rang through the earth and Toph smirked more, making sure to state rather loudly…

"You mean like the way you look after you come out of Suki's room?"

"TOPH!"

"Sokka… is there something I should know about?" Hakoda quirked a brow at his son as he rounded the corner and caught the conversation. Though she couldn't see she figured he was trying to make words with a mouth that wouldn't do more than babble. Toph smirked more, fairly glowing with smugness.

No matter what the situation… if it involved Sokka…Toph always won.

fin


	4. Chapter 4 Manipulative

Zutara Week 04

By Lil Black Bird

aka Shin Yuy

4- Manipulative

He stood in shadow and watched the scene before him. He felt like one sometimes… a shadow… even if he was now part of the group. She knelt before the sobbing child, hands aglow with the light of her healing as she mended the skinned knee. Playing too rough and running too fast amidst the ruins The Duke always ended up hurt but this time he had gone down hard and fast. He couldn't hear her from this distance over the boy's caterwauling but she was speaking softly, that motherly expression on her face.

She was good at that… being exactly what someone needed at the moment. A mother, a friend, a fighter, a confidant, a pal, a doctor… she was as malleable as the water she bent. He attributed it partially to just being a girl. However, of all the girls he had known she was the best at it.

Azula always had this… dangerous air around her. Even when she was being nice you knew she had a reason, or want, to do so. She always wanted something from you in return for whatever little thing she did for you. Even when he had chosen to side with them and not the Avatar, she knew the airbender could still be alive so pinned his death on Zuko. She was manipulative as hell and ever so good at it. Nevertheless, you could always see it on her face… like a snake waiting for the time to strike.

Katara was different. She was hard to predict beyond knowing she'd protect the weak and never let anything happen to the Avatar. Sure, he mused, there were the ever-predictable fights between them and with Sokka. The ever present tension between the young avatar and his crush that she would giggle off and keep stringing him along. There were the times she was a mother hen and a nag but when it came down to a one-on-one moment, a singular situation she melded into what was needed or defied it entirely.

He heard a laugh and turned back to the two kneeling by the fountain. The Duke got up, hugged Katara before putting on the 'tough guy' routine and ran off to rejoin the others who had moved down to the all day echo chamber for a laugh. He watched the boy go before returning to look on Katara's still kneeling form.

She sighed and slumped a bit, looking a bit worn out. The others sometimes didn't realize it but Katara did so much to keep things together. He wasn't surprised to see her expression go blank, her body to just deflate a bit before he watched the struggle in those clear blue eyes to pull herself back together.

His feet moved without his order and suddenly he was crouched behind her, a heat burning in his palms and his good ear. She was startled when he began to run his hands over her shoulders, the heat working to relax tired muscles. She turned a glare at him, another face he had seen, but she stopped. He wasn't sure what his face looked like, he couldn't see the reflection in her eyes. He focused instead on easing her aches. They stayed like that for a while, his hands ghosting over her back and shoulders, over her hair which covered her neck letting his inner heat soak into her skin. He felt the small smile more in his scar than on his face, the way the tissue crinkled and made it harder to see out of his eye when he smiled just so for no particular reason.

"Why?" she muttered, her voice had lost the edge it had with him and for once he was surprised.

"Just seemed like the right thing to do." He murmured; removing his hands and straightening back up, offering a hand to aid her too. "Water can only bend so much." He said cryptically and somewhere he knew his Uncle would be proud. "Sure you can manipulate it, push and pull it any way you want but in the end it can only go back to whatever the shape its vessel is."

_In the end you're human too…_

She regarded him in a confused way, unused to his cryptic speech and got up on her own. She had retorts, she always did when it came to him, but the words unsaid between them... the truth she could see in his eyes the color of the dieing western sun, held her tongue.

They weren't the Fire Prince and the Blood Bender

They weren't the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady

They weren't even Zuko and Katara

They were human. Simply human.

When the others returned from their fun to find the two of them just standing there, looking at each other in a peculiar way they didn't notice. When The Duke described what he saw to Toph they were almost daring to cross that line both had sworn not to cross but was right there waiting for them.

"**ZUKO AND KATARA SITTING BY THE SEA…K I S S I N…"**

"TOPH!" Katara was the first to break it off, blushing crimson like the sunset and turning to stand irate at the earthbender. The others were laughing and jeering in an instant and the noise filled the silence they once shared.

She turned to ask Zuko what he had been up to skulking in the shadows but he was already walking off, heedless of the cat calls from Sokka and Toph. He slipped into the shadows as if he was one, gone again off to wherever he went. She was sure she'd never figure him out. On again was the facade she wore as she tried to argue her way out of the scene she'd been caught in. Only a few feet away, in the darkness of the halls of the temple Zuko watched _his _Katara fade and become _their _Katara.

One day if fate would allow and he was cunning enough… there would never be a difference.

fin


	5. Chapter 5 Pinch & Stare

Zutara Week 6 & 7

By Lil Black Bird

aka Shin Yuy

6 & 7 – Stare and Pinch

I know I probably can't combine the two but this one refuses to be written separately With the work still going on #5 –Mythology I wanted to make sure this got done before it became Monday.

**WARNING **Mature situations ahead, not quite a lemon but close enough.** MATURE READERS ONLY** and it will be labeled appropriately so people don't have a cow.

It was strange… the world of winter. He stood on the edge of the ice wall, looking out over the sea. He was bundled up in blue furs and warm clothing, his breath of fire helping to keep the chill of morning at bay. The war was over, he couldn't remember the details of it but he was older and the South Pole now was as prosperous as the North. The walls of the new city were tall and strong, the buildings more than just tents and roughly crafted huts. There was even a palace, where Hakoda ruled as chief, training his son to take his place.

The forms began to flow in his mind and his body followed, no flame from his fists but the kata moved his body as he thought. Iroh had released him from the duty of Fire Lord until he was of age and ready. Secretly he knew Iroh knew what he wanted… to see the world and work to fix it along with the Avatar. There was much to be done and the Prince of the Fire Nation personally seeing to the rebuilding of the things he or his nation destroyed was doing a lot actually to mend wounds.

The first stance of the Dancing Dragon came unbidden and he let it flow, its movements similar in some ways to the smooth gentle rolling katas of the waterbenders. He moved through almost all of them then, just before the last form, he stopped. Standing he turned to see his disturbance. The last three days he had caught the children of the city staring at him when he came to the outer wall to practice. Today it was no child, nor guard, or waterbender.

It was just her.

She crossed the distance between them, her hands going around his hip and one to his face, gently touching his scar through her gloves. His long hair blew untied in the breeze from the sea and despite himself he shivered. They hadn't had much time for what had bloomed between them during the war. Too much to do, too many things to guard against and too many people always around, always needing them. He had agreed to go with her to the Pole, to meet her family to see and help with the rebuilding.

Now they had time.

Warm lips met his; arms encircled her in her parka, pulling her near. Their bodies eclipsed the Sun as it rose higher in the sky. They broke and the shine in her eyes, the glint of mischief and longing made him stare in wonder. There were times he had wondered why him… why bother? However, that smile and the way she stared at him sometimes… made the hurt boy that was slowly learning to let people in feel wanted.

And if the hand sliding under his parka… playing with his bare belly said anything… he was _wanted_.

She tugged him away, down the stairs and through the streets. Eyes were on them, they always were. The Water Tribe loved gossip. Up the canals and to the Palace and to the wing for diplomats. They had Toph and Aang help build an island for the palace to sit on, so Earthbenders had a true floor to feel with and if a Firebender tried to melt anything they'd not ruin the entire palace. She dodged between tapestries and ice pillars into his rooms. They were guest quarters but one day, she promised, he'd have a place of his own here.

The fire was already lit, the room warming with the sun through the ice windows. Furs and thick silks covered the floor and the mound of bedding in the far corner. He hit the pile with an 'oof' before he had his arms and lap full of Waterbender.

"Katara…" his voice was a whisper silenced by a kiss hotter than the sun. Hands moved to tug and pull out of clothing, removing layer upon layer of leather and fur and defenses long built up. She made him weak in ways he never wanted to be strong again. And he gave her strength she never knew she needed.

It was all going so well too… till something _pinched _him.

He yelped and woke up, throwing the covers aside. A spider-fly had landed on his thigh and bit him and was suddenly very very crispy. It was _hot_. The air was heavy with moisture, the monsoon rains not far off. He was on his cot in the Western Air Temple, the window shutters open to try and let the cool air from the canyon in. He had tossed off his covers in his sleep and now lay in little more than his pants and a sheen of sweat. He fisted his hands in his hair and groaned. That damn dream… he'd been having ones like it for a few weeks now and it was making just being around Katara rough. She'd been cold and cruel to him to begin with. However, over time she'd started to tolerate him. Now though they were a lot closer and it was stirring… things and thoughts it really shouldn't.

As with the night before the dream had started something and his body ached for it to be finished. With a groan, he sat in a meditative position, ignoring how hard it was to move…and how _hard _it was… and tried to meditate. He would not have such thoughts about the girl, who was as far as he knew a few years younger than him and iso/i not interested. The interaction a week ago at the fountain, where they found some kind of understanding had started the damn feelings and they were getting worse.

He couldn't get calmed down this time though. The weather too warm, the ghosts of hands and lips still fresh in his memory on his skin. He leaned against the wall, the rough cool stone doing little to ease the heat inside. _Fine if I have to… handle it I will_. he decided and slipped the rest of the way out of his clothing.

Katara wandered the halls of the temple. It was too damn hot to sleep and she couldn't wait for the rain to start and take the heat away. She did this on occasion, stopping in and checking in on everyone. Aang was sleeping peacefully, Momo curled up on top of his head snoring. Sokka was for once not snoring loudly and sprawled across the bed. He was curled around Suki, the two holding each other, Sokka's chin on top of Suki's head. She had caught herself staring at them for a while, happy and a little bit jealous. Toph was sprawled on the ground, the stone floor of her room warped slightly as she bent in her sleep. Haru and the boys were out cold, the plans for some new invention abandoned on the floor where they slept. She didn't bother stopping in on her father. He was awake and sitting outside watching the moon. 'On watch' he had said but she knew his mind wouldn't let him sleep.

She always checked on him last.

Sometimes he would be tossing and turning, caught in the thrall of a nightmare. Other times he would be passed out cold in the exact same position he fell into bed in. On occasions, she'd peek in through the door and see him seated in the window sill, his scar in shadow as he watched the moon go across the sky. He was quiet when he slept unless it was a nightmare and they had been getting worse over time. Her old self would have been happy to watch him suffer. The new appreciation for him… and the new little flame hidden behind friendship wanted to make sure someone was there to be human for him too.

There was no light under his door but she could hear him moving around. A grunt and a groan or two sounded through the wooden door and she looked through an old knotted hole to see if he was having another nightmare. Last time she had been bold enough to go in and sit with him. He never woke but he had slept calmly the whole night.

He was sitting on his bed, blankets pooled around him, knees up and spread hiding his lower half from view. He was naked, she could see every detail of him in the moonlight and she flushed bright red. His hair hid his eyes but she could see he was panting, could hear it from this distance. One arm was bent and disappeared between his legs, the other fisting in the blankets.

_Oh my!_ she turned red and moved to turn around _I so didn't need to see that!_ It was almost as bad as the time she peeked in on Sokka and Suki. She did know how babies were made and had… err done something similar herself. She was a teenager for Sea's sakes.

"Katara…" she stopped and stood still, the breathless calling of her name ringing in her ears. She turned and looked back in the door and saw his head had fallen back and off to one side as he groaned her name again. He was shaking as he… she couldn't even put words to what he was doing but the _idea _that he was thinking about _her… _to her surprise she felt warm and not repulsed or outraged. Maybe it was the little flame in her heart that acknowledged it burned for Zuko. She actually felt a bit… smug that she had caused this particular reaction out of the young man. Zuko was attractive. His body was well built from head to toe to… her gaze drifted down his torso, his leg that had been blocking her view had slid down and she could see _all _of him.

Some bold part of her smirked and the plan was already in motion before she had a chance to think otherwise.

Zuko was caught up in the feeling and his own imagination. In his head he was still in the hot room of the ice palace, it wasn't his hand on him but hers. He didn't hear the door open quietly and close, nor felt the presence of someone before suddenly said someone was wrapped around him, arms about his shoulders, lips on his neck below his bad ear and body pressed against his exposed side. He stopped, froze more solid than Katara could make ice and shook.

"Don't stop." She said and he looked at her, confusion and fear in his bright eyes. "No one's ever gotten this worked up for me… I wanna see." She pleaded in a teasing voice that was far from asking for him to continue… it was demanding. He felt his pulse jump and his breath hitch.

"Katara…wha…"

"Shhh someone will hear you if you get too loud." She sat beside him, taking his free hand in hers and twining their fingers as she leaned against him, using her body to block the doorway. She rested her head on his shoulder and just watched. "Don't tell me you're going to stop just because I'm here. Don't tell me you're scared."

It was a dare, a challenge and they both knew they couldn't resist those. He rested his head atop hers and continued. Her smell, her touch, her breath on his skin made things progress faster than anticipated and a small part of him worried he'd scream with her watching. From her vantage point, she was rather enjoying the show, despite the deep blush on her face. His muscles worked in various ways; she could finally follow the little trail of dark hair down to where it ended rather than wondering. _Yes_, she thought, _he was built well from head to toe and everywhere in between._ She could see scars she never noticed the tiny freckles on his shoulder from the sun, the bob of his Adam's apple as he swallowed back a groan and squeezed her hand. She gave him a returning squeeze and held on. He smelled… like hot spice and warm clean ash from the incense he burned before sleep. However, there was now that musk… that delirious smell that made her head spin a bit.

"I made you like this?" she whispered and felt him shudder. "Do you think about me when you do this?"

"Yes…" he was blushing harder and stopped moving. She could see his pulse in his neck, in the part of him he held in his hand. "I'm sorry I…"

"Don't apologize Zuko." She said, her free hand reaching over to trace the lines of his stomach, watching it flinch at the touch. "I kinda like the idea I can bring you to such a state." She watched it twitch in his hand, felt his lips on her hair as he groaned. "Keep going. I want to see what I do to you."

She was bold, always had been, and her hand wrapped around his, around him and they moved in tandem for only a few short minutes before his world faded to white and the smell of clean water and grass. She held him as he bucked and twitched and writhed. Locked the choked sound of her name from his throat away in her memories for later use along with his smell and the pale vision he made in the moonlight. She bent the sweat from his skin to clean him off and gathered the blankets about them as he curled into her, his body wrung out. She could feel his blood, the moon near full, and it burned and moved through his body like thunder on the wind. They moved and he was curled with his head on her shoulder, his hair damp and breath unsteady.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered and she laughed.

"Stop apologizing. Had I seen you weeks ago I'd have been angry as hell." She rubbed his back with one hand, the other still entwined with his fingers. "I understand the whole birds and the bees thing Zuko."

"It's wrong to think of you that way… without telling you." She could feel the heat of his blush on her shoulder and giggled, threading her fingers in his hair. This felt nice, right almost. She breathed in his smell and looked down at him, smiling.

"I think I figured it out a while ago… just didn't want to admit it." She could feel the blood begin to slow, his body succumbing to a dazed and lax state. "This is a weird way to find out you like me."

"You don't think I'm a pervert?" He looked up at her and saw that fragile face that had been broken so many times. The hope he wouldn't be hurt again because she was oh so good at it.

"Sokka's a pervert. I think you wouldn't do this to yourself if there weren't feelings there first. I know you, heart first then you leap before you think." She pressed a chaste kiss to his forehead and relaxed.

"I didn't think you'd care." It was a whisper, harsh in a breathless voice and it earned a tug at his hair that made him yelp a bit. "Ow."

"Idiot." She chided, rubbing the injury. "I just had to thaw out a bit. There was a big wall of ice between you and me. We're just too stubborn I think to let it stand."

"Well… at least I know this isn't a dream." He said with a yawn, fishing with his feet for at least his shorts. "You never pull my hair that hard in my dreams."

"You want the dream over me?" she backed off, watching him put some form of clothing on and liked the idea she was the only one who had seen it all. They settled back together leaning on the wall, wrapped in the blanket.

"No… the real Katara is the best."

In the morning, none of the others found Katara already making food. Zuko wasn't doing his morning meditation or kata near the statues like he always did. Aang was glad but chose to go look for them while the others started breakfast. He checked Zuko's room first, on a whim and stared at the scene before him.

Katara was sitting up against the wall, the pillow behind her head and back as she slept. Her head was resting on top of Zuko's unruly hair, his head on her shoulders, and arms around her beneath the blanket around them. He stirred, some pained little noise in the back of his throat reaching the airbender's ears and watched as Katara nuzzled his hair, humming quietly in her sleep. The prince stilled and wrapped around her more, keeping the chill of morning from her.

Aang wanted to be angry. Wanted to go in and kick Zuko's ass for even touching or holding Katara like that. She was his! She took care of him, taught him, worked and faught with him! He'd seen her first!

But a part of him remembered the Guru's words. _Let go Aang. Love is a good thing but it will tie you to the world and keep you from the Avatar State_. Something in him hated those words, hated that the Guru was right. He took a deep breath and turned to leave when he felt someone staring at him. He turned to meet blue eyes, looking at him in a way they never had before. She had her arms around Zuko protectively, like she loath to let him go. _I don't ask for much but this… let me keep this._ they seemed to say to him.

And his heart knew… some Avatar before him remembered this moment a dozen times over and he felt like the wind came through and plucked up the sour feeling from his stomach, the ache in his head and it was… gone.

"Take care of him." He said quietly, hoping she would comprehend. "I… I think I understand now."

"We'll take care of each other." She replied. "Like we always do."

Aang left the room, closing the door and felt the tears run down his cheeks. They didn't feel full of grief… and the final little chime in his head rang softly making him feel whole.

He had family

He had friends

He had allies

He had people to love him unconditionally and he had love for them back.

And now… he had something fragile to protect. They always watched out for him, and he for them but this tiny chance was his alone to guard. It was his secret with the girl who held his heart for so long. He only hoped Zuko could survive Katara.

Fin


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